Divers continue to impress

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Datuk Lee Kim Shin

Lee praises diving stars’ golden performance at World GP circuit in Canada

KUCHING: National diver Pandelela Rinong Pamg has done Sarawak and the country proud again by winning the women’s individual 10m platform gold at the Canadian Open in Montreal on Monday.

The newly crowned National Sportswoman of the Year from Bau won her first individual diving gold at the World Grand Prix Circuit with a total of 379.70 points.

“Pandelela and Bryan Nickson Lomas are the pride of Sarawak and I am very happy that they have done very well at the world diving championships in Montreal,” Assistant Sports Minister Datuk Lee Lim Shin said on Tuesday.

Bryan and his partner Huang Qiang won the men’s synchronised  3m springboard title last Sunday with a total of 431.31 points.

“Pandelela and Bryan are fine examples of athletes who are groomed into world class divers at sports schools like Bukit Jalil Sports School.

“The school not only provides academic studies but also the necessary facilities, professional coaching and sports science to develop the athletes,” he said during his visit to the State Aquatics Centre at the Youth and Sports Complex.”

“Sarawak is proud for being able to produce world class divers in Pandelela, Bryan and Traisy Vivien Tukiet. I hope they can win medals at the London Olympics this July,” added Lee.

According to him, the state’s diving development programme is on-going aimed at producing more divers like Pandelela and Bryan.

“We are currently grooming a big pool of youngsters including Pandelela’s younger brother Pardika Indoma Pamg and Abdul Rashid Muhamad for Sukma 2014 and 2016,” disclosed Lee.

He said the Sarawak State Sports Council was spending a lot of money in its identification search for talents and development programme.

“Many of the talents come from poor families and we have to regularly transport them to and fro the development centre,” he said.

The development programme is looked after by the state coach from China and a local coach.

On the gold medals prospects for diving at Sukma XV in Kuantan, Pahang, Lee said Sarawak had already “lost three sure golds” even before the Games started.

“Our Olympians Pandelela, Bryan and Traisy are not eligible for Sukma. National interest comes before the state and that’s the price we have to pay for producing Olympians,” he jested.

In the trio’s absence, Sarawak are looking to Pardika and Rashid to deliver the goods.